Studying in Hungary: Best universities, costs & scholarships

Here’s the ultimate guide to studying in Hungary as an international student. Learn about the top universities, tuition fees, cost of living, and scholarships.

Ivandzhelin

6 minute read

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3 Sep 2024

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Studying

Did you know Hungary is one of Europe's most popular study-abroad destinations? Thanks to its excellent education, comparatively low cost of living and exciting student life, over 10,000 internationals choose to study in Hungary every year!

To help you navigate the journey as an international student, we’ve come up with a comprehensive guide to studying in Hungary. We cover everything from the best universities and tuition fees to your living expenses and Hungarian scholarships for international students.

Hungary is a good place for international students to study because of the low tuition and living costs and the diverse student community. Cities like Budapest, Szeged, Debrecen, and Pecs are some of the best places in Hungary for students because of their internationality and high-ranked universities. Hungarian universities also offer over 500 English-taught programs in various fields like medicine, science, business, and arts.

What makes studying in Hungary even better is that the Hungarian government and universities offer scholarships and grants specifically for international students.

Based on their worldwide university rankings, these are the 5 best Hungarian universities for international students and their top-ranking degrees

One of the reasons for moving to Hungary is its affordable student cost of living, varying between €600 and €900 monthly. When it comes to tuition fees, undergraduate and graduate students can expect to pay between €2,300 and €10,000 annually.

Tuition fees in Hungary for international students

Tuition fees at Hungarian universities are based on the degree and level of education. Depending on the university, EU and non-EU students can have different tuition fees. Here are the annual tuition fees in Hungary for international students:

But if you want to pursue a degree in the field of medicine, your tuition fees will be higher. Depending on what field you’re in, your tuition fees will be around:

• Medicine: €16,750 — €16,900
• Dentistry: €17,350 — €17,500
• Pharmacy: €8,000
• Nursing: €6,500

Living cost in Hungary for international students

The monthly cost of living in Hungary is between €350 and €500, excluding rent. Your expenses will vary depending on your city, the type of accommodation you’re renting, and your dietary preferences.

As a student in Hungary, your most affordable accommodation options are student dorms or renting a private room in a shared apartment. If you opt for a dorm, you can expect a monthly rent between €80 and €150. This is the best option for students in cities like Debrecen, Szeged, and Pécs. But if you’re moving to the capital, exploring private room rentals in Budapest is best. You should budget between €250 and €350 monthly for them.

When it comes to meals, you should set aside €150 to €175 monthly for groceries. This will cover your basic necessities and allow you to splurge occasionally.

When it comes to health insurance, students from EU/EEA members can use their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Non-EU/EEA students should budget between €30 and €50 monthly for healthcare coverage.

Students can get up to 50% discount on public transport and Hungarian national trains with their student cards or ISIC. Considering the available student subscriptions, you should budget around €25 monthly for public transport.

Hungary is one of the best places for student life, as going out is affordable compared to other European countries. There are plenty of things to do, and we suggest you budget around €100 monthly.

The school year in Hungary is split into 2 semesters: Fall, from September until December, and Spring, from February until June. Because of this, in most universities, you pay tuition fees per semester and not per year. So you’ll often see that the duration of a study is broken down into how many semesters it takes to complete it.

Generally, a bachelor’s degree is 6 semesters or 3 years. A master’s degree takes between 2 and 4 semesters or 1 and 2 years to complete. PhDs are 8 semesters or 4 years, whereas degrees in medicine and dentistry are 10—12 semesters or 5 and 6 years.

Types of universities

Generally, Hungary has 3 types of universities: public, private, and church-subsidised. Public universities are partially funded by the government and have lower tuition fees. Private universities are more expensive as their primary source of funding is tuition fees and donations. Church-funded universities are supported by religious institutions, and their curriculum is often focused on theological studies.

Lectures and seminars

You'll have 2 types of classes in a Hungarian university: lectures and seminars. Lectures are typically delivered to a large group of students, often from the same academic program or major. They present an overview of the topic of the week.

Seminars are conducted with a smaller group and help you practice what you’ve learned during the lecture. Attendance is often taken during seminars but not lectures.

Credits, grading system, and exams

Hungary relies on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) to show if you’ve passed your course. You should have 60 ECTS (30 per semester) at the end of each year. This means 180 ECTS at the end of your Bachelor’s and between 60 and 120 ECTS at the end of your Master’s.

Each university course is evaluated via standardized methods, such as exams and individual or group assignments. Exams at Hungarian universities are usually held at the end of the first and second semesters. The first-semester or mid-term exams usually fall between December and January, and the second-semester exams are between May and June.

Assignments and exams are evaluated on a 5-point scale, where 5 is the highest grade, and 1 is a fail. The table below breaks down the Hungarian grading system:

Hungary offers a number of scholarships to help international students finance their education and support themselves during their studies. These are either state or university-funded or granted by another non-governmental body. Here’s a list of some Hungarian scholarships for international students: 1. Stipendium Hungaricum: Granted by the Hungarian government, this scholarship is available to students from over 90 countries and across different degrees and levels. Stipendium Hungaricum fully covers tuition fees, partially the student’s living expenses, and health insurance. 2. Bilateral state scholarship: Granted by the Hungarian and a number of foreign governments in bilateral agreements. Students of all degree levels can apply or be nominated by their home country. The Bilateral state scholarship covers tuition fees and accommodation at the student hostel.
3. Erasmus +: For students of Erasmus exchange programs or the Erasmus Mundus joint masters. 4. CEEPUS scholarship: The Central European exchange program for university studies (CEEPUS) is for students who want to spend a semester abroad. It’s available to university students from 16 Central European and Western Balkans countries. Eligible students have to have fully completed 2 semesters (or the first year) of their studies. 5. Visegrad Fund scholarship: Granted to students from Visegrad (Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland) and 12 other partnering countries who want to pursue a Master’s or post-master’s degree at a partner university abroad. 6. [University of Debrecen International Scholarship]:(https://edu.unideb.hu/p/university-of-debrecen-international-scholarship) For students in agriculture and science at graduate or undergraduate levels. Awardees get between 30% and 90% subsidy for their first-year tuition. Scholarships for subsequent years are based on your grades the year prior.

Students coming from EU/EEA members don’t need a visa. On the other hand, non-EU/EEA students need a Hungarian student visa if their studies are longer than 3 months.

The student visa allows you to enter the country. But to legally reside in the country, you need to get a residence permit. It’s usually issued for at least 1 year or the duration of your study if it’s less than a year. You can apply for both when submitting your Hungarian student visa application.

We recommend learning some Hungarian before studying in Hungary. While cities with sizable student communities, like Budapest, Szeged, and Debrecen, don’t have a language barrier, smaller cities might present some challenges.

Learning Hungarian will make your study experience more fulfilling as you’ll be able to branch out of the international bubble and integrate better. And besides, what’s a better time to learn a new language than when studying in Hungary?

Congratulations! Now that you have a feel for what student life in Hungary will be like you’re ready for your exciting journey as an international student in Hungary.